by Nicole Waldo

Cross-Cultural

Twice in the last 7 years I've consolidated all our belongings to a few suitcases. One time we were a family of four. The first time, we had a baby (and so much baby stuff). At one point we were living as a family out of 2 hotel rooms (no kitchen) for 70 days. Another … Continue reading What it’s like to downsize to a few suitcases

When you live, well, not, in the USA, celebrating Thanksgiving can be awkward and downright depressing. The first Thanksgiving abroad is the worst: you haven't adopted new traditions yet and the old ones just don't work. But most people try to force it anyway. The only way around this is to have a big neighbor potluck on … Continue reading Thanksgiving in the middle east

This is one of my favorite memories from our first month living in Abu Dhabi. We had a wonderful potluck this weekend with our neighbors, celebrating two weeks of living in our building. Everyone dragged chairs, food, and coolers into our building lobby. We ate chili and fry bread while the kids played soccer in … Continue reading Potluck Water Truck

While we lived in the desert, we had the chance to attend the International Falconry Festival right in our town. Things you need to know: Falcons are the ultimate companion/hunter/pet in the United Arab Emirates. Etihad Airlines allows falcons in the cabin with their owners. These birds are carefully bred, expensive to buy, and treasured … Continue reading International Falconry Festival

Things you cannot possibly understand you will have to do when you start over in another country: Find things to sleep on and sit on. Find things to cook on, keep food in, and wash clothes with. Get these things to your home. Get these things connected/wired in. Learn to use these things that have … Continue reading What it’s like to start over in a new country

Traveling to Muscat, Oman usually involves a few trips back in time. On one visit, we got up a little after dawn, and headed to the shore for the local fresh fish market (market = souq, pronounced "sook"). In the crisp morning air, clutching our tea in styrofoam cups, walking in the sand between straw mats, … Continue reading Oman Fish Souq

What is it like to drive a manual transmission on the wrong side of the road, on the wrong side of the car, in a foreign country?It's like having a heart attack every 15 seconds for the first day. Then you get used to it and only have mild strokes about once an hour.The hardest … Continue reading Driving on the Wrong Side